


i saw little beams of light

by drashian



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe, Cuddling & Snuggling, Multi, References to self-harm, Scars, Trans Character, Transgender
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-02
Updated: 2013-08-02
Packaged: 2017-12-22 04:33:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/908964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/drashian/pseuds/drashian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They welcomed him into their embrace and he let his anger fade away.</p>
            </blockquote>





	i saw little beams of light

**Author's Note:**

> vaguely set in a universe where Aang and Katara have been together for a while and both interested in Zuko and eventually bring him into the relationship. there's not a whole lot fleshed out, just that this is very early in that relationship and sort of their "first time" and all (there's no sex, though). and Aang is agender because (vague hand motions).
> 
> and yes, this fic does reference [my previous fic](http://archiveofourown.org/works/448154), but one exists without the other perfectly fine.
> 
> (title is from [this song](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=052f16_6K4Y).)

He tugged the edge of his tunic, the fabric fell away, and Zuko was more naked than he had been in years. He closed his eyes, inhaling slowly, in and out his nose, trying not to let heat build in his breath. Another set of hands pushed the untied tunic off of his shoulder. They were smooth, warm. He opened his eyes and met Katara's blue ones. Smiling, still trembling slightly, he let his tunic slip off his arms and fall to the floor.

Different hands pressed flat against his back and he turned his neck, nuzzling his jaw against Aang's mouth. They kissed him gently on his cheek and, smiling comfortingly, started to unwrap the bandages from around his chest.

"You know, it's not good to keep them wound this tight," they said. Zuko slumped, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah. I think I can handle it." He lifted his arms, letting Aang finish unbinding his chest. Katara put her hand on his cheek, turning him towards her again. She kissed his mouth slowly, placing her other hand where his ribcage met his belly. Her fingers stuck to the sweat accumulated as she started to rub her hand up and down the center of his chest.

"You don’t have to lash out at us," Katara said, her eyes staying gentle as her voice scolded him. Aang wrapped their arms around him from behind, his fingertips slipping under his pant waist. Trapped between them, Zuko let the two of them lead him to their bed, slowly sitting down and watching as they kissed each other. He still felt that twinge, like he had walked in on something private between them, despite how many times they had both told him that he was as much a part of this as they were now.

Aang twisted their body out of their robe in one movement, like they had done it a thousand times (which they probably had) and pushed it to the floor. Zuko pulled them closer and grabbed their bindings, unwrapping them easier than they had unwrapped him. Then again, he looked with some jealousy at how much smaller their chest was than his. He could only look for a moment before Aang had kissed him again, smiling against him and pressing their lips together over and over.

Katara watched them, smiling, and ran her hands over their heads, her fingers tangling in Zuko's hair. She started to untie the sash around her waist but, as the two of them looked up at her, she just closed her eyes and let them undress her. Both Aang and Zuko kissed her bare stomach, their cheeks pressed against each other as they play-fought for her attention.

She looked down at them, smiling. "You catch on quickly." She pulled Zuko up to kiss him again, pressing their chests together and pulling him on top of her. "But don't forget who's the star of the show tonight."

Zuko kissed her deeper, grinding against her. Aang moved to be beside him, their hands again going to his waist and starting to pull off his pants. Zuko pulled away from Katara, turning to Aang. "Can we..." he said, his voice cracking.

Katara stopped moving against him immediately, cupping his cheek. "What?"

Zuko shook his head. "It's not that this isn't great. Really great. But maybe we can just..." He shrugged, pulling away from Katara a fraction. "Sleep."

Aang's face lit up and they immediately leaned forward to kiss him. "You have no idea how long Katara and I have been wanting you to cuddle with us!"

Zuko rolled off from on top of Katara, landing between the two of them. "I think I can guess, though." Aang pulled them both up to the head of the bed as Katara stood to push their discarded clothes off the bed and pull the sheets out from under them. Aang settled comfortably with their arms around Zuko's waist as he lay on his back, their face nestled against his shoulder. Katara lay on the other side, her arms wrapping around his ribcage and her head next to his.

They lay there for only a minute before Katara nudged Zuko, smiling at Aang who was already asleep. "I don't know how they sleep so soundly, but they always do," she said quietly, propping her head up to look at him as she spoke.

"They look like a kid," Zuko replied. He looked down at his sleeping partner, feeling the warmth of their breath against his bare skin. It was still so strange to think of Aang as a partner.

"They always do. I mean, not in a creepy way. Just... peaceful." Katara fell silent but Zuko felt her eyes tracing his body. Only the slightest twitch of his muscles showed the panic his instincts made him feel for a moment, then it subsided. Katara lifted her hand that lay across his chest and traced it across the top of his breasts where thick twin scars clearly outlined where muscle ended. "Where'd you get these?"

Zuko tensed his jaw, exhaling slowly. "I uh... it was right after I was exiled. I didn't take it very well."

Katara stroked his cheek. "I didn't thought you had. Do you... I think I could make them smaller. Maybe not all the way gone, but it's something.

"That would..." He hated those scars. But they were a reminder of the anger inside him. "That would be nice."

She smiled at him and Zuko felt all the anger clenched in his muscles leave and, as she lay her head down again next to him, turned his head to gently kiss her forehead.


End file.
